Rishabh Pant: ‘Great entertainer’ lights up England-India with sixes, somersault and ‘falling paddle’ in superb century | Cricket News

slickJune 21, 2025

0 0 4 minutes read

Perhaps the six of Chris Woakes of Rishabh Pant in the final during the first day were a sign of fireworks to come on the second day in Headingley.

When most test strikers would have played for the closure, made sure they would always be in the fold the next morning, Pant chose to load the counter and the Woakes of England in the stands above deep midwicket. As always, he thought differently.

This pocket came after a largely calm blow to this point with the vice-captain of India is reining when he inaugurated the new skipper Shubman Gill up to a chic century.

But Pant spoke to the maximum during the opening session on Saturday with a shot and unorthodox display.

Sixth, a Somersault, the “falling paddle” while Ravi Shastri invented a daring shot. There was majesty and madness equally while Pant hacked and struck his way to 134 from a night 65.

From ‘stupid, stupid, stupid’ to ‘superb, superb, superb’

The legend of India Sunil Gavaskar had pronounced the words “stupid, stupid, stupid” when he comments when Pant fell on a missed scoop during the defeat of the series in Australia this winter, but said “superb, superb, superb” after this blow to Leeds.

You could not leave him – even if Pant himself did exactly that with an attempted stunt by Ben Stokes.

It was shortly before drinks when the falling paddle was played for the first time – Pant picked up Shoaib Bashir on the legs at four years before falling on the lawn. A few bullets later, he transported Bashir for six to the well lubricated fans of the Western terrace. But the best was to come.

“One or six, what’s going to be?” The question was asked by the commentator of Sky Sports, Ian Ward, while Pant started the 100th above the sleeves, played by Bashir, the 99. The latter, Wardy, the latter …

And what six it was. According to Midwicket with a hard hand. And what a celebration it was. A perilous jump including the Simone Biles Olympic gymnast would have been proud.

“This guy is the box office. One of the great artists and one of the hundred best celebrations I saw. He is a character from this boy, isn’t it!?” It was Ward’s reaction – before a six long balls confirmed the pleasure of Pant Pant was not yet finished.

“ Pant has his own computer and he alone knows how it works ”

You never knew what was going to go then – a block, a leave, a sweeping or extreme innovation – but you knew it was worth watching. Even his dismissal was eccentric. Find yourself in a horrible position while choosing not to play a blow against Josh Tongue and trapped Plumb LBW. Entertainment.

But he had done his job, inflating the scoring of India on the second day having played with a great restraint the first day when perhaps the man below him in the Karun Nair order – who did a duck – played his first test in eight years – and that India has a long tail, a England finally ripped.

Method to his madness.

The former head coach of India, delighted Shastri, said Pant on Sky Sports Cricket: “Strainous. He beautifully plays the game of figures, plays as he wants. He will block a little then change speed.

“He has his own computer and he only knows how it works. This is his USP. This is what puts the quakers under pressure and the fact of the box office, a real artist and a match match.”

Pants at the top after 2022 car crash

Pant’s Knock – His seventh century of testing and second since a major car accident at the end of 2022 which could have cost him his life – may not prove to be earning the match with England which retaliated well in Leeds, initially with the ball and later with the bat while Ollie Pope justified his selection on Jacob Bethell with a ninth test.

But it was a joy to watch and clearly pant acrobatics after his hundred hundred seals, it meant a lot for him, especially after this horror accident three years ago.

Shastri added: “This is why there was this celebration. Thanking the man upstairs for giving him the opportunity.

“I think that his restoration of this accident had a lot to do with the frame of his body and being the middle of their twenties.

“When I saw it in the hospital, it was not a nice view. The disorderly knee, scars everywhere, bruises everywhere.”

Fortunately, it is only sparkling blows everywhere. The great artist is back by doing the best. Superb, superb, superb.

Look at the third day of the first test between England and India. Sky Sports Cricket And Main Sky Sports event From 10:15 am on Sunday (11:00 am first ball) or Stream without contract.